A Hollow Empty Canvas

●uno

Broken windows crackling with the sound of the hitting droplets of water from the pouring rain. People running towards a safe haven to keep them dry. The swaying of branches as the cold wind pass by. The sound of the roaring thunders and the kids playing outside, probably enjoying their bath.

This is what she can see in her perspective and in her blurry eyes held a fraction of sorrow and longing and she turns away from the sight and as she turned she saw the hanging pieces of art.

Unfinished, untouched, untainted.

She took some steps towards the empty canvas and she held out her hands as her fingers touched the paint brushes' tips and the paint left went to it.

She sat on the stool, perfectly measured for her comfort. Her hand drifted to the unmolested canvas and her eyelids automatically flattered close as her hands made contact with the surface. She gracefully moved it through the cloth as if memorizing every inch, texture and details and a small smile tugged at her lips.

A smile. Its been awhile since she smiled a genuine one.

She picked her brush, put some paint on her board started mixing it, her eyes focusing more because of her unclear eyesight.
Wishing that she'll do it right.

She started darting it to the empty canvas, creating colors to the once lifeless view it has. She swiftly moved her hands like the way she does it when she was still young, way back then. She whipped the paint brush creating a curve to the canvas and also tho her lips.

She's 58 by the way, but her passion didn't disappear and she still paints undeniably the same. The same way past the years. The same way when she was still not alone. When she can be completely complete.

She shut her eyes forcefully and heaved a sigh. She know she should be thinking such thoughts. She know it'll just kill her in the inside. She glance at the shape of a face she had painted and smiled again. She's been smiling a lot today. She continued to paint and the beam in her mouth is just pasted.

She sat there, contentment in her heart as she saw her finished work. An art made of love and memories. Memories that was meant to be forgotten but to special that she chose to hold on.

Slowly, she strode to the room where her painting,all of her paintings, are stored. She carefully placed the recent one on the floor and walked out. But before she exited the room, she stole another glance at her works which held the same emotion. All with the same subject which is to dear for her to lose. She closed the door, satisfied with the sight.

The scent of rain waters welcomed her nose as she stepped out of her little shell. She looked up at the sky and she was astonished by the sight of the rainbow. A rainbow after the rain.

She, again sat at the bench just near her house and engulfed the sight given to her. A few people stop by to greet her and she greet them back, with a warm smile and a polite nod.

Then she was caught by a mother and a daughter. Her heart was squeezed at the sight of it and she placed her hand on her chest, just above that pumping thing.

They were playing and the loud giggles of the little girl and the tune of the voice of the mother shows their joy.

How does it even felt to be a mother. How does it felt when you see your child grow up? How does it felt when they hugged you? Kissed you? Say I love you?

She never knew. She'll never find out.

She followed her gaze through the running girl being chased by her mother and her eyes widen as she saw the little girl slept.

The little girl cried and her mother came to her, care and worry evident on her face. She wiped the knees of the little girl and also her tears.

"Don't cry,"she said.

"But it hurts!"

"Stand up. If you've fallen, just keep standing up. Chin up and face the world again as if nothing happened. Hurt. Yes you're hurt darling but isn't it the greatest teacher?"

"Huh? I'm not yet going to school! You said I'm too young?"

The mother slightly chuckle,"Lessons are not only learnt in school."

The little girl nodded and she glanced at my direction and the old lady's eyes widened and the girl started coming to her

She sweetly smiled to me,"Aren't you the beauty queen the neighbors are talking about?"

She nodded and faintly smiled. Old nice days.

"Mom! She's her! The queen!"

"Uhm. Hello,"the young lady said as she carried her daughter. I nodded, encouraging her to talk.

"I've heard about you too. The stories we're great. They described you as a strong woman but they told something that according to them, dethroned you from being a queen yourself. I'm just curious, why did you gave up on him?"

A sad smile crept to her face,"I didn't give up. I just stopped fighting."

WP_LIGHTS